Apple's keyboard has a surprisingly artistic feature.
All you have to do is flip it over.(Image credit: @twolivesleft on Twitter)
While the prospect of a built-in trackpad, backlit keys and floating design all caught our attention when the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro was announced last month, what really turned our heads was the price. At $299 and $349 for the 11 and 12.9-inch versions respectively, the cost is, if not magic, certainly out of this world. But one Twitter user has found an unexpected use for the keyboard which could make it a more enticing proposition for digital artists.
The Magic Keyboard only began shipping last week but @TwoLivesLeft, clearly already bored with the basic laptop-style configuration, decided to flip it over onto its back. And lo and behold, he discovered (below) that the Magic Keyboard transforms into something completely different: an artists' easel. Handy for Apple Pencil-wielding creatives (check out our best iPad Pro apps for designers if that's you).
If you tip the Magic Keyboard over backwards it gives you the perfect angle for drawing pic.twitter.com/J7l0018kSEApril 20, 2020
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Apple probably never intended the keyboard to be used this way, but we're all for a bit of creative improvisation. Does the extra viewing angle justify the price? Probably not. Not only does it look a little daft with the keys sticking up towards high heaven, but the angle appears pretty similar to one of the options you'd get from a Smart Folio (below) for a third of the price.
That said, if you were already planning on buying the Magic Keyboard for the typing and trackpad experience, and are also prone to a bit of digital illustration, then this little hack might make the price a little more palatable.
A similar effect for a smaller price (Image credit: Apple)
If you'd prefer the real thing (ie. an easel that isn't an easel by accident), our best easels guide has options for every skill level and budget. Spoiler alert: they're all cheaper than the Magic Keyboard. And if you do fancy giving digital art a go, you can find the best iPad Pro and Apple Pencil deals below.
Daniel John is Senior News Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of art, design, branding and lifestyle tech (which often translates to tech made by Apple). He joined in 2020 after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more.
